Empire at War

The two defining global conflicts of the 20th century were not only fought for Britain’s Empire but by Britain’s Empire. From Indian troops on the front line in the Great War to West African troops serving in the jungles of Burma, these films document the often unseen contribution of imperial subjects to Britain’s war efforts. During World War Two, official film propaganda became an increasingly important means of disseminating information about the war to both British and colonial audiences. Armed Forces film units were established to gather film footage from the theatres of conflict, and unedited material shot by these army cameramen provides an intimate record of the Empire at war.

The Colonial Film website is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and features films from the British Film Institute, the Imperial War Museum, and the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.